1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system and a recording medium for storing a program. In particular, the present invention relates to an image forming system and a recording medium for storing a program using a special sheet group constituting one set having a plurality of different types of special sheets arranged in a predetermined order.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in an image forming system, such as a copying machine, a printer, there is known a technique in which in printing process, special sheets are inserted at set pages to prepare printed matter by using a special sheet group constituting one set in which a plurality of different types of special sheets, such as a plurality of tab paper having different tab positions, a plurality of color sheets having different colors or the like are arranged in a predetermined order. When the special sheet group as described above is used to prepare printed matter, a correct sheet must be inserted to a correct position.
Specifically, in order to prepare printed matter by using special sheet groups, special sheets must be inserted successively in a predetermined order starting with the top sheet of the printed matter on which images were formed. However, when the number of special sheets used for printing one set of printed matter is not an integral multiple of the number of sheets in one set constituting a special sheet group, unnecessary special sheets are remained whenever the printing of one set is completed. An inconvenience that the unnecessary special sheets may be inserted to the next printed matter, is caused unless these unnecessary special sheets are removed from the system.
In order to solve the inconvenience as described above, for example, according to Japanese Patent No. 2728812, the following printing system has been disclosed. According to this system, when the number of special sheets in one set (the number of special sheets included in one set of special sheets) is not an integral multiple of the number of sheets (special sheets) required in one set of printed matter, unnecessary special sheets are removed out of the system.
According to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-3063, the following image forming system is disclosed. In the image forming system, whether an unnecessary tabbed sheet is remained or not is determined based on the number of tabbed sheets to be used (the number of special sheets constituting a special sheet group) and the number of tabbed sheets to be inserted (special sheets). When it is determined that unnecessary tabbed sheets are remained, the selection of a paper discharging tray is prohibited and unnecessary tabbed sheets are discharged to a tray other than a default tray.
An image forming system comprising: an image forming unit for forming an image of a document on a recording medium; and a post-processing unit for carrying out a post-processing, such as a punching processing, a stapling processing, a folding processing or the like, for the recording medium on which an image of a document is formed, is provided.
In the image forming system comprising the post-processing unit as described above, in case that special sheets are inserted into a printed matter having a plurality of pages and the printed matter is divided into a plurality of groups by a post-processing, when a technique for discharging unnecessary special sheets is used for every printed matter, that is for every one set of printed matter, as known in a conventional art, special sheets of consecutive multiple special sheet groups are inserted throughout the entire printed matter. Accordingly, the first special sheet inserted into each group is a special sheet arranged next to the special sheet which is already inserted into the previous special sheet group. As a result, the system is inconvenient. A disadvantageous problem is caused because users must previously divide printed matter into groups in order to arrange the order of special sheets to be inserted to each printed matter group.